OT-getting old?

[jnyork]

Do you guys get really attached to your stuff, like your guns or vehicles ? I dont know if it is a normal feeling or if I'm getting to be a foolish old geezer. I have more guns than anyone has any business owning, and I can tell you where I got every one of them and all their history. Each of them has some connection to some happy time in the past, and the thought of selling one of them just fills me with sadness. Same with my old 92 Toyota truck. It has seen HARD use out in the desert and up in the mountains (see my moose hunt posting), it only has 150,000 miles on it but they were mighty tough miles. Almost everything on it is original, brakes, alternator, etc, and it is due to let us down. It is worn to the point my wife wont drive it, doesn't want to be seen in it, and is agitating me to buy a new one. It has served us well for many many adventures, hunting and fishing trips, wonderful memories associated with the truck and to see it go down the road would be like having to put down your poor old sick dog.

I know I should be starting to thin out the gun collection and get a new truck but am having a tough time becoming resolved to it. Saturday I will be 69 years old, maybe such feelings just come with age. Anyone else have these problems?

[Terry Murbach]

I AM RIGHT BEHIND YOU AND KNOW THOSE FEELINGS. WE HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR THAT OR THOSE THAT HAS OR HAVE GIVEN LONG AND HONORABLE SERVICE. WIMMEN DO NOT--NOT!!!--HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THAT AND NEVER WILL. THEY'LL TOSS OUT STUFF THAT IS ALL BUT NEW AND PERFECTLY USABLE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO "LOOK GOOD", SO THEY CAN "FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES", SO THEY CAN FEEL "APPRECIATED", SO THEIR SKY HIGH EGO CAN GET STROKED. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY HAPPIEST IF SOMEONE ELSE IS FOOTING THE BILL TOO, DON'T FORGET THAT !!!

[jnyork]

I AM RIGHT BEHIND YOU AND KNOW THOSE FEELINGS. WE HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR THAT OR THOSE THAT HAS OR HAVE GIVEN LONG AND HONORABLE SERVICE. WIMMEN DO NOT--NOT!!!--HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THAT AND NEVER WILL. THEY'LL TOSS OUT STUFF THAT IS ALL BUT NEW AND PERFECTLY USABLE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO "LOOK GOOD", SO THEY CAN "FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES", SO THEY CAN FEEL "APPRECIATED", SO THEIR SKY HIGH EGO CAN GET STROKED. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY HAPPIEST IF SOMEONE ELSE IS FOOTING THE BILL TOO, DON'T FORGET THAT !!!

So, Terry, tell us more about how you feel about wimmen.

[2ndovc]

I can understand what you mean. I traded my beat up old F-150 4x4 a couple years ago for
a new Jeep for my wife. When we left the dealership I felt like I'd left a dear friend behind.

Some guns too but not all of them. I don't mind trading off something that isn't quite what I'd
thought it would be for next thing I'm odsessing over.
Right now I'm dying for a real Cold Single Action Army. I've have lots of copies but never a real one.
So I'm sitting here in my office thinking of what I can sell so I can buy one.

jb

[Modoc ED]

I AM RIGHT BEHIND YOU AND KNOW THOSE FEELINGS. WE HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR THAT OR THOSE THAT HAS OR HAVE GIVEN LONG AND HONORABLE SERVICE. WIMMEN DO NOT--NOT!!!--HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THAT AND NEVER WILL. THEY'LL TOSS OUT STUFF THAT IS ALL BUT NEW AND PERFECTLY USABLE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO "LOOK GOOD", SO THEY CAN "FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES", SO THEY CAN FEEL "APPRECIATED", SO THEIR SKY HIGH EGO CAN GET STROKED. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY HAPPIEST IF SOMEONE ELSE IS FOOTING THE BILL TOO, DON'T FORGET THAT !!!

That's all true Terry but think back to when you were as sick as a dog recently and your wife fussed over you and generally took good care of you and saw you through it. She deserves a lot.

Having said that, they do get uppity at times don't they!!

[Modoc ED]

Do you guys get really attached to your stuff, like your guns or vehicles ? I dont know if it is a normal feeling or if I'm getting to be a foolish old geezer. I have more guns than anyone has any business owning, and I can tell you where I got every one of them and all their history. Each of them has some connection to some happy time in the past, and the thought of selling one of them just fills me with sadness. Same with my old 92 Toyota truck. It has seen HARD use out in the desert and up in the mountains (see my moose hunt posting), it only has 150,000 miles on it but they were mighty tough miles. Almost everything on it is original, brakes, alternator, etc, and it is due to let us down. It is worn to the point my wife wont drive it, doesn't want to be seen in it, and is agitating me to buy a new one. It has served us well for many many adventures, hunting and fishing trips, wonderful memories associated with the truck and to see it go down the road would be like having to put down your poor old sick dog.

I know I should be starting to thin out the gun collection and get a new truck but am having a tough time becoming resolved to it. Saturday I will be 69 years old, maybe such feelings just come with age. Anyone else have these problems?

Those Toyota trucks of that era were plenty strong. 150,000-miles is low for them. However, I can understant your wifes hesitation about not wanting to get stuck out in the boonies in it should something happen.

My truck is 8-years old with over 100,000-miles on it and I'm going to try to get at least 150,000 - 200,000 miles out of it before I let it go. It'll be a sad day when it does finally go.

[Terry Murbach]

I AM RIGHT BEHIND YOU AND KNOW THOSE FEELINGS. WE HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR THAT OR THOSE THAT HAS OR HAVE GIVEN LONG AND HONORABLE SERVICE. WIMMEN DO NOT--NOT!!!--HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THAT AND NEVER WILL. THEY'LL TOSS OUT STUFF THAT IS ALL BUT NEW AND PERFECTLY USABLE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO "LOOK GOOD", SO THEY CAN "FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES", SO THEY CAN FEEL "APPRECIATED", SO THEIR SKY HIGH EGO CAN GET STROKED. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY HAPPIEST IF SOMEONE ELSE IS FOOTING THE BILL TOO, DON'T FORGET THAT !!!

That's all true Terry but think back to when you were as sick as a dog recently and your wife fussed over you and generally took good care of you and saw you through it. She deserves a lot.

Having said that, they do get uppity at times don't they!!

DO NOT THINK FOR A MOMENT I DO NOT LOVE MY WIFE; I DO !!! SHE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS HARDLY ATALL. SHE COULD CARE LESS ABOUT JEWELRY, WOULD RATHER BUY A NEW GUN, HAS BOOTS A LOT OLDER THAN WE'VE BEEN MARRIED, AND HAS OLD STYLE STETSONS SHE WEARS ALL THE TIME. A NEW OUTFIT TO HER IS A NEW PAIR OF WRANGLERS, A NEW FANCY SNAP FRONT SHIRT, AND GETTING HER OLD BOOTS CLEANED. GETTING REALLY UPPITY FANCY IS A NEW GUNBELT AND HOLSTER TO GO WITH IT ALL.
BUT SHE IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER WOMAN I HAVE EVER BEEN AROUND, NONE !!!

[BigSky56]

Keep the 92 and fix it up you'll be money ahead and its better built than a new one. danny

[rjohns94]

I'm trailing a few years behind you but I understand what you are saying. My toyota is only 27 months old and I have over 100K miles on it. I hope it last to 1,000,000,000 miles. Not that I'm that I'm attached to it, I just don't want a vehicle payment. I'm tired of payments on many things. Firearms for me come and go (as if you guys didn't know that). I'm not too sentimental on those and so long as they serve my hunting needs, I'm happy with them generally. Same with my bows. I guess where my walk is taking me, my journey through this life, is that I'm finding greater comfort and peace with less stuff to weigh me down. Living more as a stranger in a strange land seems more in line with my thinking nowadays than working on collecting or keeping things. I often play an exercise with myself on what i would keep if I lived a life as a nomad and had to carry it all with me. What would I truly find important enough to lug around with me. If I had transportation instead of walking, I might choose my mountain bike and a trailer. If on foot, it would go in my backpack, If by boat, in my sailboat. If by vehicle, either my truck or motorcycle. I couldn't keep all my firearms but some form of levergun/pistol combo would go. A fishing rod and reel would go too. I could easily live in a one room cabin, and have plans for one in my to do pile.

I guess for me, as I age more, its the relationships I want to collect, perfect and experience. I want to write a better story for my life than what I have lived in the past. I want that story to be epic, where I as the main character, live a life of service to God's Glory. I am trying to adopt an eternal perspective where the things of this world, mean less and less and the the things of his world mean more and more.

[El Chivo]

volvo.jpg

still going strong, cheaper to keep her...

anything else I try seems like a piece of junk, this is a nice solid car with a frame, 4 wheel disc brakes, drives great and no reason to dump her.

I know what you mean about getting sentimental, but eventually I get to the point where I know I'm never going to use the thing again, and then I pass it on. Part of the reason to sell it is to get it out there where it will be used and appreciated.

The last few years I've been buying extra things just to try them for a while, with the intent to sell the less favorites. Guns are in this category, I have 8 and need 3. I haven't yet gotten to the point where I have to do a cull, but next time I move I expect to travel light.

If you think guns are bad, just start playing the ukulele, they multiply like chickens.

[bsaride]

My buddy finally sold his Toyota pickup about 2 yrs ago.
IIRC it had 360,000 miles on it. He bought another Toyota

[jdad]

I keep all my vehicles until about 275,000 miles. My current vehicle is a 1999 Pathfinder, with just over 220,000 miles. Nothing has been replaced other than the blower fan, for the heater/air conditioner. I can't see buying another depreciating assest until this one dies.

My firearms are just "things". I buy them, enjoy them for a while, then pass them on for others to enjoy. I've just completed my Remington, rimfire pump/semiauto, collection and will start to sell that off soon, so I can collect something else. I only have an "emotional" attachment to about 4 firearms. I turn 50, in about a month. You can't take them with you.

[Hobie]

I have to go with Terry on this. I think the feeling intensifies as one ages because one KNOWS what value is. This applies to things, animals and people. Get a good wife, dog, horse, gun or truck and one gets attached!

[Rusty]

I'm with y'all on the truck tradin thing. My present ride is a 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad cab with 188K on it. The wife is already startin that what you gonna get stuff. She thinks an SUV would be a better deal. Maybe it would, I'll have to see. I usually keep a truck 10 years so times gettin close. If she keeps on I think I'll tell her, "Honey, I saw an SUV I liked on the road the other day... see what you can find out about a Cayenne. I don't know who makes them but they look nice." When she finds out the sticker price she'll leave me alone for a bit. I saw one at a boat show that was $92K. So far the Dodge is holdin up OK. I figure the next truck I get will be my "old man truck." Maybe I'll get it with marker lights on top of the cab.

[AJMD429]

I dont know if it is a normal feeling or if I'm getting to be a foolish old geezer.

FOG - just like the rest of us (there are a few FYG's too).

...or maybe "SOG" for Sentimental Old Geezer...

[Buck Elliott]

"Women are always on their own side..." Bob Edgar

[Wind]

Hey there jnyork - I too have a Toyota pick up. 231,000+ miles and have replaced a starter motor and just recently the water pump. It's fifteen years old. Maybe an alternative would be to get the wife a new rig and keep yours. Have a few essential spare parts on hand and let'r rip. Getting caught with out spares can be a pain in the butt though nothing to get rid of a good ol' truck over. You can take hers out in the hills if she would be more comfortable. As far as the firearms, write down their histories and bundle them all up and send them to me. I will give them a good home, shoot them often, and provide a nice padded spot in the safe for each of them!! Best regards, Wind

[Ysabel Kid]

If you bothered to buy/trade for/acquire a gun in the first place, and assuming it is not a lemon, why wouldn't you think fondly of it? Same with an automobile - though a gun will last a lot, lot longer.

[Nate C.]

I sold my Dodge diesel of nine years just a couple of weeks ago. I very nearly had to go stand out back for a while to regain my composure afterwards. I had been coast-to-coast in that truck. Slept in it, under it and next to it. Driven on the beach, in the desert, in the mountains, in the swamp...Anyway, you get the picture. I'm actually STILL not sure I made the right decision on letting her go, even though there was no rational reason not to do so.

Although I think familiarity begets that degree of 'attachment', I also think (in the case of shooting irons and such) that a lot of it comes from all the sweat and tears it takes to pay for something and say it's really your own. Like the cliche about "easy come, easy go", I think the inverse applies just as much.

[Malamute]

"Almost everything on it is original, brakes, alternator, etc, and it is due to let us down. It is worn to the point my wife wont drive it, doesn't want to be seen in it, and is agitating me to buy a new one...."

I would suggest taking it to a reliable shop and have them give it a thorough checking out, all mechanicals, electronics scan, compression check, etc, if it checks out OK, or is worth the cost to get it up to snuff, take it to a body shop and have them do a touch up on the paint, and a good buffing. It will look good, and be reliable for several more years. If you want to keep it, spend a little time and money getting it right. If it needs seat covers, do it. If it needs nice rims, why not. It's still cheaper than a new truck or one just a couple years old. 150k isnt much for mileage. In the old days, you couldnt GIVE away a vehicle with over 100k on it. Now, 200 isnt anything to get excited about if its been taken care of. My older Suburban has 270k on it, and started needing more stuff than it was worth to get it back to snuff. I bought another Suburban,...with 180k on it. I figure its good for probably 4 years.

[Streetstar]

My '06 (yes 06) F-150 has 143k on it now (i am an insurance adjuster, so it has tons of highway miles though) --- i think it can see 300k if i do my part and start paying attention to things.

Due to the mileage, i plan to pick up a spare alternator and belt to keep on hand along with a fuel filter, etc. As well, i have a AAA card in case the fuel pump goes out (fuel pump for these rascals is not a roadside fix)

Not a fair comparison since i do lots of highway driving, but at this point in my life , and with the cost of new trucks, it makes more sense to hold onto my "paid for" ride.
I vote for putting a grand into the old girl and keep it going ------ its hard to walk out of a new truck store without a $600 payment , or your bank account being $30k lighter if you cash it out. New trucks are fun for 6-8 months and then they just become old trucks, so i have decided to just keep the old truck going as long as i can (i seriously doubt it will make it 17 years at this rate though)

[the telegraphist]

Agree with everything you say here Terry, the colon is working very well I feel. Lets hear more from you, your humour is engaging. From another post/thread the 44 mag is everything you say. Keep safe and stay well.

[Pete44ru]

I'm 67, and my bought-new 1998 Ford Ranger is still going strong with only needing a new oil pan two years ago, after the original cracked at the drain plug from changing the oil every 2500 miles - the only thing I've done to it, besides brake pads/tires/etc.

I sold off 75% of my guns to help fund my early retirement, and am currently selling off some more, that I don't often use, or use at all.

MAYBE, I can whittle the mess down to 15-20 guns, or so.

I'd rather sell them myself, than have my family dispose of them cluelessly.

.

[jnyork]

I'd rather sell them myself, than have my family dispose of them cluelessly.

.

Something to be said for that. I dont really have anyone to leave them to, so will keep this mind.

[marlinman93]

I'm right with you on hanging onto good old reliable stuff, from guns to vehicles, and more! Heck, I even have old tools that I've owned for 45 yrs. that I'm attached to!
My old Toyota 4x4 is a 1984, with only 170,000 miles, and I know I need a new truck, but the darn thing just wont quit running! I've still got the 1971 Camaro I bought in 1973 when I got out of the service. I've recently been restoring the old Camaro, which also has about 175,000 original miles on it. It's going into the paint shop Sat. for new paint, and then it'll probably see another 175,000 if I live that long!
I love my old guns, but a few of them went away recently to fund the Camaro restoration!

[Sixgun]

Cars/Trucks are nothing more than transportation to get from point "A" to point "B". I choose Jeep Wranglers because they last almost forever and are easy to work on, plus, their style never wears out.

Wimmin ain't nothin but aggravation and I don't care how well you get along.

Good Winchesters & Colts are the best. They don't eat nothin', talk back, cost nothin' to insure/register and do nothin' but escalate in value. Try that with the above.

You bet I get attached to my shootin' irons!---------------------------Sixgun

[Old Time Hunter]

Yep, I seem to hang on to things...just can't seem to part with them. They are like old friends that bring up memories of past good times and optimism of possibly more in the future. Specifically regarding my rifles though, I dug a couple out from under the stairs that are brand new, never so much as had the scotch tape holding the cover on broke open. Might part with those in the future since they were purchased over the years as knee jerk reactions. Cars and trucks are another thing all together, brought a new demo Toyota 4 X 4 home back in '85 when I was look'n to replace my '70 F250 (501,000 miles!), my neighbor walked over and looked it over. He then rubbed his chin and said "My Dad died on Guadacanal"...ain't ever looked at another since. Drove that '70 for another 10 years, died with only 11,000 miles on the odometer, 'course it had spun over NINE TIMES! That would be 911,000 miles on the same block and crank, did roll bearings in it at 550,000 miles though, along with a fresh set of rings. That's ok though as my 14 year old F150 with 393,000 miles on it still drags my butt to my hunt'n cabin just about every other weekend. Loaded down with all kinds of equipment and no fear towing my 23' boat. I do wish I would have gotten an extended cab also, but my wife just says I would load 'er down that much more. 'Figure if I can just hang on to her for 'bout 10 more years, I could buy a good used 2010 for a song

[mescalero1]

Same problem here, no one to leave them to.
I recently bought a 1977 4x4 Dodge truck, the former owner had Never put ANYTHING in the bed.
$610.00 and it has more than that in brand new rubber on it.
Can't beat that old stuff.

[salvo]

I much prefer the old vehicles, you can still work on them and easily make them better than they were with a little elbow grease, plus they are paid off! I still have my first vehicle a 1954 Chevy pick up and it runs better now than it ever has, same with my 1976 FJ 40.

If you get no enjoyment out of turning wrenches then go new and let some tech work on it.
I bought myself one brand new truck in 1998 and still have it, a Dodge 2500 4x4 with the Cummins, I can work on that truck too and plan on it being my last, gotta love diesels if your a wrench head.

Just took this picture this morning